A LENT REFLECTION – by Mark Faris-Robertson
We’re good at hiding, Lord…
We do a lot of hiding, Lord.
We hide from ourselves.
We hide from one another, too.
A cursory, door-step greeting, “And, how are you?” we are asked.
More often than not, of course, “We’re fine”, whatever that may mean.
It’s the automatic, learned response, the English-thing.
That “fine” covers a multitude of possibilities
and a multitude of sins, too…
We put on the war-paint, the brave face – not safe enough, not having time-enough to entrust the difficult details of the day: “I’m fine”.
Will anyone really want to listen? What will they think of me?
In truth it’s not all that fine, Lord…
There’s all that growing clutter gathering in the cupboards of our lives,
Where we keep locked-away the fear and the pain,
Sometimes the tears which “good Christians” shouldn’t experience in the first place,
Let alone share with each other…
We’re quick to close our cupboards -
One is labelled “religion”; one is labelled “life”
Where the skeletons of doubt rattle in dusty darkness,
Little spoken of in their separateness – known all too-well to us – then hurriedly closed.
Never the twain shall meet!
It’s not supposed to be like that, you tell us, Lord.
And though we know this, still
We chuckle (self-righteously) at the Pharisees
And tell ourselves we’re absolutely nothing like them.
We watch them as we might cartoon or cut-out characters, collecting their “brownie-points” –
Earning their place at your table…
We put on our Sunday best, just like them…
We’re good at hiding, Lord…
We wear the mask that looks fine,
Until we peek a little closer at the paint with its tell-tale cracks.
And beneath is the clutter, a mixture of work and religion,
The grace-less acts and the motives mixed.
We sometimes look at others, thinking, “I wish I was more like him!”
Or: “I’m glad I’m not like her!”
In fact, the truth is we’re more like one another than we would ever believe…
We’re good at hiding, Lord…
We all have ghosts from our pasts which come to haunt us.
And, if truth be known, we all carry the great worrying weight of the giants of today
And the phantom fear of what tomorrow will bring …
You know the sort of thing I mean:
Secretly we put away in cupboards the thought that perhaps you might not care
or that you may not be “Almighty-enough” to deal with those things that worry us so much that we have to hide them away, even from you –
Like a frightened child – concerned his parent won’t love him – unless…
We’re good at hiding, Lord!
We even try to hide from you.
As if you didn’t know all about those cupboards
And all about what lies within them
And why they are there in the first place.
Hiding is such hard work!
Lord help tidy us up…
And then, just when all that clutter of un-emptied cupboards seems about to bury us,
You are there, Lord -
Not a stern judge but a merciful friend
And we hear you saying to each of us,
“Let go of it! Bring it to me, all that clutter –
Don’t carry it alone. Turn to me and be healed!
I love you anyway – for all your cupboards and their content.
Just don’t spend so much time collecting it!
5 Powerful Lessons from Psalm 139 about God's Wonderfulness
Lesson 1 — We Are Intimately Known
“For you created my inmost being; you knit me together in my mother’s womb.” - Psalm 139:13
Before we were known to our mothers, God was forming every intricate detail and fabric of who we are. We often default to a critical view of ourselves and others. Psalm 139 helps us to see ourselves and others through God’s perspective. Colour, ethnicity, disability …every trait and characteristic were crafted by our purposeful God. We are crafted personally and purposefully, to bring glory to God. Nothing about us is accidental. God doesn’t simply allow us to be a certain way or carry a certain trait - every cell of our being is intentional. When I became a mother, I experienced love on another level. Yet, I only carried my babies into this world. God gave them life and cares for them infinitely more. We are all loved by God this way.
“God has perfect knowledge of us,” Matthew Henry wrote, “and all our thoughts and actions are open before him.” We cannot control the thoughts popping into our minds all day long, every day. But we do have some say over what happens to them once they arrive. Scripture advises to take our thoughts captive. Some of the rogue thoughts that enter our minds are absolutely crazy! God sees every one of them. He knows our words before we let them exit our mouths. He knows what we will do. He’s numbered our days. We are intimately known by God, not just outwardly, but inwardly. When the heart is mentioned in Scripture, it often refers to the seat of our souls, and the place from which we make decisions and harbor our beliefs. God is there. He is not surprised by our physical or mental struggles!
Being intimately known by our sovereign God means we are not hidden, nor should we feel compelled or convinced by guilt or shame to hide from Him in any way. The sacrifice Jesus made on the cross negated the shame which compelled Adam and Eve to hide from God in the garden. Though the curse of sin we live under compels us to do the same—run and hide when we sin—God made a way for us, through Jesus, to bring our sin to His feet and confess and repent of it. God’s forgiveness, His mercies, and the grace available to us through Christ Jesus, are new each day.
Lesson 2 — We Are Purposefully Made
“I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made.” - Psalm 139:14
We were made with purpose, to bring glory to God. Each talent, gift, and occupation have a place in the workforce of the Kingdom of God. Who we are is meant to bring reverence to God. Not a fear to be afraid of, but a respectful, reverence for God. When people look at the lives of those who follow Christ, they should witness the blood He shed dripping from our daily lives. According to Biblestudytools.com, wonderfully means “to be distinct, marked out, be separated, be distinguished.” We aren’t made wonderful in the eyes of world, but from the heart of God, to bring glory to His name. We have each been intentionally set apart, different from the world. “In the midst of daily life, Christians do well to remind themselves of the Good Shepherd’s knowledge and provision,” wrote Jason Helopoulos for Ligonier, “most of the doubts, anxieties, and fears that occupy the Christian soul can be attributed to a lack of trust in Christ as the Good Shepherd.”
Even though David penned this psalm before Jesus walked the earth, everything in Scripture points to God’s greatest expression of love for us in the crucifixion and resurrection of Christ Jesus. Living in the New Covenant, we can read this psalm knowing Jesus has defeated death and is seated at the right hand of the Father. Those who follow Christ will be welcomed into heaven for eternity upon death on this earth. God moves through our earthly lives to spread the gospel. His desire is not to leave behind even one!
Lesson 3 — God Is in Control
“Your eyes saw my unformed body; all the days ordained for me were written in your book before one of them came to be.” - Psalm 139:16
There is infinitely more happening in the world and our lives than we can plausibly see. But God’s view is limitless, transcending time and space. He has numbered our days, and nothing can change or alter His good plan for our lives. His will trumps what we want.
It’s hard to comprehend God is in control of a world spinning off its rails. So much injustice, unfairness, tragedy and heartbreak surround everyday circumstances world-wide. Even devout Christ-followers gaze up to wonder where God is during tumultuous seasons. “God’s sovereign control is complete, not partial,” John Piper explains on desiringGod, “Whether it’s more or less direct or more or less indirect, more or less by active intrusion or more or less by tactical permission- however it is, God controls it, and the control is complete and pervasive. Nothing in the universe is random without divine design and purpose.”
Lesson 4 — We Are Never Alone
“Where can I go from your Spirit? Where can I flee from your presence?” - Psalm 139:7
One of the biggest tricks and deceits of our enemy is to isolate and convince us we are alone. Especially in today’s society, as the world endures a global pandemic, isolation has become a reality we experience for long periods of time. Even when we are out in society, masks and plastic barriers isolate us from each other. Quarantine puts us in our rooms alone for half a month’s time! But even when the physical presence of other people is absent from our lives, we are never alone. God the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit are always and forever with us. God is impossible to escape from. And He is mighty to save. David knew these qualities of God well, as he was chased down by a crazed King Saul and exiled to hide in a cave!
Lesson 5 — Judgment Belongs to God Alone
“If only you, God, would slay the wicked! Away from me, you who are bloodthirsty!” - Psalm 139:15
Judgment belongs to God alone. Much of the Psalms teach us to love our enemies and pray to God on their behalf. What does David mean, then, when he wrote verses 15-22? David’s pen was divinely inspired by the Holy Spirit of God. God’s Word is Truth, and in its entirety points to Christ Jesus. Sensibly, these verses are followed by: “Search me, God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts. See if there is any offensive way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting.” (Psalm 139:24) When we pray this verse, God faithfully answers! We are to pray for our enemies and the enemies of God and beseeching, He searches our souls as well. He knows our enemies, and ourselves, better than we do.
Psalm 139 is a personal prayer and song of praise to God. Though Author and Creator of the entire universe, and each of us, God is personally in touch with every single one of our lives! He cares deeply and compassionately for us, not only as a whole but individually. Because of Jesus Christ’s sacrifice on the cross and resurrection from the dead, we are able to come freely to God through Christ. In prayer, praise, and everyday life, He is our constant companion. Jesus calls us friends. What a God we serve! A God who saves! We are known, loved, and never alone.